


where you go, i go

by gendryxaryatrash



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-28 12:11:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18208151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gendryxaryatrash/pseuds/gendryxaryatrash
Summary: AU where the Brotherhood makes it to Riverrun with Arya, and Gendry stays with her and joins her brother’s fight. Catelyn has tried (and mostly failed) to transform Arya into a princess, but she’s still been spending most of her time with Gendry. This would be just prior to a battle with the Lannisters in which Gendry is supposed to join, but Arya is not.





	where you go, i go

Gendry swallowed dryly as he watched Arya approach; his mind raced, trying to find the right words. But what was there to say other than he didn’t know how he could physically walk out of this castle thinking he might never see her again? And with her lady mother and brother of a king present, he very well couldn’t say it all like that.

She looked lovely, the icy blue of her gown standing in stark contrast to her storm gray eyes. He could never tell her that either.

When she reached him, her mouth was drawn tightly as she surveyed him for the first time in full armor. Not his own, but armor all the same. Her eyes, however, held a jest. 

“Well,” Arya said lightly, “do take care.” Then she reached out a hand and patted his upper arm. Thinking she meant to hug him, he reached out his arms, but she turned swiftly to hug her brother and kiss him on the cheek before sweeping back the way she’d come.

Even Catelyn looked after her in shock. Despite their best efforts to keep Arya in her chambers and away from the forge all those past months, all present had expected a much warmer farewell from the northern princess for the blacksmith she was overly too fond of.

Stupidly, Gendry finally lowered his arms. His elbow still burned from where she’d touched it. His faced burned now too, and surrounded by virtual strangers as he was, he couldn’t express the way he truly felt about her shortness. 

Instead, after waiting for Robb to kiss Catelyn’s hand, he fell into step with Robb, who waited until they were out of his mother’s hearing to murmur, “I’m sure she’s just upset she can’t be there.” Robb’s attempt at making him feel better for the slight. But she hadn’t looked upset in the least, and they both knew it. Though Gendry knew Arya _had_ fought her king tooth and nail to be allowed to join them.

Gendry knew now they had made a mistake coming here, though it was useless to think about because Arya never would have been swayed from it. But out there, even in the middle of the war, no matter what they had been facing, they had always been together. The fear Gendry felt in his chest was not from the battle; he couldn’t even think on it. It was the fear of never seeing Arya again, whatever that meant.

The only thought he had to truly console him was that if the battle did take a turn for the worst, Arya would be warm and safe in her bed. This gave Gendry the resolve to stride faster towards war, to mount his horse and ride.

Later, they’d made camp not far from the Lannisters and would wait until dawn to mount an attack. Distracted by his thoughts of Arya, he made a half-assed attempt at a fire that wouldn’t take. 

He was distracted now by the thought of what he would say to Arya if he ever _did_ see her again. So distracted he began practicing the conversation out loud.“M’lady,” he started, his hand extended. He dropped his hand and shook his head. “Stupid.”

Then- “Arya...” Here, he stopped again, her name in his mouth feeling forbidden but somehow right at the same time.

“Arry,” he tried, but it only made him sad, flooding his mind with memories of their time with Yoren, at Harrenhall and with the Brotherhood.

His shoulders sagged and he gave up the impromptu rehearsal. “I just thought you cared.” He finished to himself dejectedly.

A rustle of leaves to his left shocked him from his stupor, and he scrambled to pick up his hammer and swiftly turn. He managed to stop the hammer within an inch of Arya’s sword. But _she_ was smiling wildly. “Cared about what?”

Gendry’s breath caught at the sight of her. Not only was she there but she was dressed like a boy again. Gendry hadn’t seen her dressed like this for many moons. It had been all dresses and slippers and fancy braids. Her hair, which had grown shoulder length, was tied behind her head and hidden under a helm. On top of all of it though, it was getting harder and harder to disguise that she was really a woman, no matter how ugly the breeches, no matter how big the boots. 

Of course this had been her plan all along. How had he not seen it?

And was this why she had been so flippant?

“Cat got your tongue?” She asked playfully, letting her sword rest against his still lifted hammer with a clang.

Gendry let the hammer lower, grinding it noisily against the metal of her sword. “Stupid.” He said, finally managing to tear his gaze away from her.

She glanced at him questioningly as she sheathed Needle. “Why are you stupid?” The irresistible grin was back.“You actually expect anyone to believe you’re a boy?” Gendry finally settled for stubbornly.Arya ignored that. “You mean stupid for thinking I would let you leave without saying goodbye?”As she spoke she sat at the hastily made fire and worked on it until it was blazing. He was glad now he’d chosen a spot so isolated from the rest of the soldiers.He was surprised she’d noticed he’d even been upset, as careless as she’d seemed back at the castle.

He hadn’t moved from his spot and suddenly he felt her small warm hand slip into his and pull him down next to her in front of the fire. He let her.“Or do you mean stupid for not realizing you’d be seeing me again before the sun had set?”

She struggled to take the hammer from his grasp and place it on the ground.

Then she handed him the wineskin she’d had at her belt. As he drank, she spoke again. “I suppose you are stupid after all.”

He glanced at her, but she was smiling. But it was different than before. As if there was more she wanted to say but couldn’t.Despite the wine, he swallowed, his mouth feeling dry. “I’ll have to tell his Grace, your brother.” He finally managed.

Arya ignored this too. “You said my name before.” And finally Gendry reddened. He hadn’t called her by her name since they’d still been with the Brotherhood.“Say it again.” Her tone was demanding but soft. Almost pleading.

Gendry studied her carefully. The combination of the fire light and light of the dying sun played across her features. And he knew he truly was stupid, like she always said. He should have kept far, far away. It had been complete folly for him to leave the Brotherhood. 

If he thought it had been dangerous to spend time around her as a child, as charming as she had already been then, being near her as she grew into womanhood would be lethal.

And because he knew he could deny her nothing that wouldn’t hurt her, his lips parted and he said her name aloud. “ _Arya_.” It was reverential. It was mercy. Breathing the name out was a relief. He knew now without a doubt that he loved her. It wasn’t just companionship and friendship he craved from her but eternity too. 

Her gaze rested on his lips. “Stupid.” She said again, seemingly out of breath.“Stupid to think I’d ever let you fight without me. Stupid to think you would.”And then he realized Arya wasn’t here for the fight. She was here for him. She hadn’t decided to come until it had been a certainty he was going. 

His own breath grew short. “I thought-.”

“Stupid,” she breathed, interrupting him all the while leaning closer and closer to him.

In the end, it was Gendry resolve’s that crumbled first. He swooped down to meet her lips with his own. And it was at that moment that he realized that he’d been dreaming about doing this for a long time now. She must have too because she seemed to know exactly what to do.

She pulled away for breath first but kept her cheek against his so that their breaths mingled. 

“Where you go, I go.” It was a promise. It was hope.

He took her fingers in his and brought them to his lips shakily. “Where you go, I go.” He repeated.


End file.
